Many servers and other computer systems contain components housed in a component rack in sliding drawers, which allows a user to easily access and replace the components. Conventionally, cables are connected to the sliding drawer to provide power and/or communication to components in the drawer. The flexibility of the cables allows the cable to remain connected when the drawer is slid out of the rack. However, the cables must be as long as the desired travel length of the tray. Thus, if access to the entire length of the sliding drawer is desired, the cables must be at least as long as the length of the drawer. This causes the cables to occupy a considerable amount of space when the drawer is fully inside the rack. The use of fiber optic communication cables can reduce the amount of space taken up in the rack because they are thinner and more flexible. However, fiber optic cables can be fragile and have a minimum bend radius below which the cable can be damaged. Accordingly, there is a need to prevent fiber optic cables from being wound too tightly, crimped, or otherwise damaged.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed embodiments. Further, the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the embodiments. Moreover, while the disclosed technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to unnecessarily limit the embodiments described. On the contrary, the embodiments are intended to cover all suitable modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims.